22 July, 2013

When life gives you lemons... Kick life in the face, get your head in the game and cycle real fast.

Like I said last post: the form, it returneth! And so with it does my happy face. I'm glad to say my form is on an upward trajectory now after suffering through the stage race last week and yesterday I reaped the rewards. I got a solid second place at race number three of Ronde Finistérienne which took place on a pretty fast 5km circuit.

"Oh is that a split? Better close that..."

"Oh good, back at the front. Hang on... Who just dropped that wheel?"

"I mean really! Okay, no panic. Back up there with the front group again."

Despite riding one of the most atrocious tactical races ever, in the world, since time began, I was strong enough to compensate and save a result. Perhaps I was a little rusty after my little break but I'd like to think I was unlucky too, as both the series leader and the best young rider missed the decisive splits. My 'unfortunate-ness' basically meant that I had to ride across to a 30 rider group, alone. Then a 20 rider split, with just three others. Then when the eventual winner attacked I missed it AGAIN and was forced to chase behind with two others. In the end it got a bit desperate and I had to drop them on the final climb in a last ditch attempt to shut down the solo leader. I bought his lead down from 30 seconds to about 10 seconds in 3km, but it was too late. I watched him celebrate the win just ahead of me, like he had been all day. Sickening.